The United States has announced a 12.5% tariff on imports from Nigeria, citing concerns that the country has not effectively prohibited the importation of goods produced through forced labour.
The new trade measure was announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and forms part of a broader policy targeting 60 economies that Washington says have failed to adequately enforce bans on goods linked to forced labour.
Under the new policy, Nigerian exports to the United States will now attract a 12.5% tariff, except for products covered under specific exemptions.
According to the USTR, countries that have already implemented or committed to enforcing bans on imports produced with forced labour will face a lower 10% tariff.
These countries include India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Canada, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia and several others.
The latest decision follows investigations launched by the USTR in May 2026 under Section 301 of the US Trade Act, covering 60 of America’s largest trading partners.
The agency said it received more than 1,600 written submissions, heard testimony from over 100 witnesses, and consulted more than 45 governments before announcing the new tariffs.
A Federal Register notice specifically stated that Nigeria would be subject to the 12.5% tariff on its exports, except for products listed under approved exemptions.
“The Trade Representative has determined to impose 12.5 percent tariffs on products of Nigeria… The tariff rate, scope of tariffs and exemptions are appropriate to obtain the elimination of the acts, policies and practices determined to be actionable in the investigation,” the notice stated.
The measure comes after President Donald Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to introduce temporary universal tariffs following a US Supreme Court decision that blocked his administration’s broader tariff plan.
Explaining the decision, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the United States wants its trading partners to strengthen efforts against forced labour in global supply chains.
“President Trump recognises that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labour from global supply chains. The United States has had a forced labour import ban for nearly a century. It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” Greer said.
The USTR noted that some products will be exempt from the tariffs, including certain raw materials, goods that could cause supply shortages or major economic disruptions, and selected products from countries that have adopted or pledged to implement forced labour import bans.
It also said additional exemptions would apply where tariffs are considered unlikely to eliminate the trade practices under investigation.
